Coelaenomenodera (s. str.) Blanchard 1845: 181

Synonomys

Diplocoeloma Thomson 1857b: 226.

Type Species

Coelaenomenodera cucullata Guérin-Méneville.

Diagnosis

Coelaenomenodera (Coelaenomenodera) can be distinguished by the following combination of characters:

• lateral margin of pronotumpronotum:
  occupies all of dorsal part of the prothorax; in anterior angles or posterior angles there may be a small tubercle or pore with a seta
  and elytra without long, stiff spines
• head without frontal horn between antennae
• pronotum pronotum:
  occupies all of dorsal part of the prothorax; in anterior angles or posterior angles there may be a small tubercle or pore with a seta
  with seta in each angle, flattened, never constricted basally, anterior margin projecting forward over head, with 1 to 3 deep depressions, anterior ½ glabrous
• anterior margin of prosternumprosternum:
  contains two anterior coxal cavities
  not projecting forward, not partly covering mouth
• less than 14 mm in length
• antennae with 11-antennomeres, antennomere 3 shorter than 1 and 2 combined, apical antennomeres without sensory pits on lower surface
• elytra with interspaces 3, 5, and 7 partly costate

Description

Elongate; parallel-sided; convex; color varies from yellow, brown, red, to black; length 3.5 to 11.0 mm.

Head: large; fronsfrons:
upper anterior portion of head capsule above the clypeus
simple, slightly convex; labrumlabrum:
triangular, joined to the clypeus and the oral orifice
very short; maxillary palps very short, palpomere 1 small, 2 and 3 obconic, 3 shorter than 2; 4 oval; eyeeye:
elongate, slightly prominent, multifaceted; usually slightly kidney-shaped
oval, slightly convex.

Antenna: reaches to base of pronotumpronotum:
occupies all of dorsal part of the prothorax; in anterior angles or posterior angles there may be a small tubercle or pore with a seta
, dilated apically; with 11-antennomeres; antennomere 1 subglobose; 2 oblong, thinner and longer than 1; 3 longest, shorter than 1 and 2 combined; 4 to 7 subequal in length; 8 to 11 dilated; 11 obtusely rounded, without sensory pits on lower surface.

Pronotum: longer than wide; lateral margin straight; anterior margin with triangular projection over head; posterior margin bisinuate; posterior angle acute; surface with 1 to 3 deep depressions; anterior ½ glabrous.

Scutellum: oblong, rounded at apex.

Elytron: lateral margin straight, smooth, narrowly margined; exterior apical angle rounded; apex rounded; with 10 rows of punctures; interspaces 3, 5, and 7 partly costate.

Venter: prosternumprosternum:
contains two anterior coxal cavities
narrow, convex between coxae, basal margin not projecting toward mouth; mesosternummesosternum:
narrow between middle coxae, separated from metasternum by a transverse suture; forming the anterior part of the middle coxal cavities
transverse, concave.

Leg: short; robust; tibiatibia:
variable in length; joins femur and tarsus
curved, obliquely truncate at apex.

Distribution

Cameroon, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Madagascar, Nigeria, Sierra Leone.

World Fauna

Described species: 40 (Staines 2012). Key: none.

Hosts

Borassus, Cocos, Elaeis (Arecaceae).

References

Blanchard, C. E. 1845. Histoire des insectes, traitant de leurs moeurs et de leurs métamorhoposes en général, et comprenant une nouvelle classification fondée sur leurs rapports naturels. Vol. 2. F. Savy. Paris. 524 pp.

Staines, C. L. 2012. Tribe Coelaenomenoderini. Catalog of the hispines of the world (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Cassidinae). http://entomology.si.edu/Collections_Coleoptera.html

Thomson, J. 1857b. Voyage au Gabon. Archives Entomologiques 2:7-376.